The perfect home base

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Elliott Abbott moved to Linden Ponds from Cape Cod in 2015, and says he really enjoys the social life and the security at his new home.

For 40 years, Elliott Abbott lived on Cape Cod, Mass. But in the summer of 2015, he decided to make a move that was a better fit for this stage of his life.

Elliott, who’s in his early 70s, sold his house and now lives in a two-bedroom, one-bath Harrison-style apartment home at Linden Ponds. He says the primary reasons he was attracted to the Erickson Living community in Hingham are simple: the vibrant social life and the security.

“One of big reasons I moved here was socialization. I lived alone at the Cape,” Elliott says. “I like the fact that if I have a problem at 3 a.m., somebody will respond [at Linden Ponds]—that was huge for me. If you live alone, even if you have lots of friends, you are still alone at 3 a.m.”

Prior to choosing Linden Ponds, Elliott looked at other continuing care retirement communities. He was close to moving to another one but changed his mind because he says it did not have as many amenities as Linden Ponds. After a two-night stay at Linden Ponds, Elliott knew it was the place for him.

“I had been searching for what I found here,” he says.

Jumping right in

One of the first things Elliott did after moving in was to start a flower garden. He had always gardened at his house on the Cape and wanted to keep up the hobby. Linden Ponds has dedicated areas where residents can tend to their own gardens.

Elliott is also a member of the 20-person committee that selects movies to be shown in the clubhouses, and he helps out with the elections for the Resident Advisory Council. He’s also joined a group of residents that helps bilingual staff members improve their English. During the fall, Elliott was looking forward to attending the Linden Ponds annual gala, a festive evening filled with food, music, and dancing to raise money for the community’s Resident Care Fund, which is in place to assist residents who experience an unforeseen change in their financial situation for reasons beyond their control. Full details are in Linden Pond’s Residence and Care Agreement.

“There is so much going on here,” Elliott says.

For most of his career, Elliott worked for Allied Stores, as a buyer and to help to open new stores. After he retired, he got his real estate license and sold properties on the Cape. He was also a volunteer with the American Cancer Society and was active in community issues on the Cape. At Linden Ponds, Elliott says he’s met people from all walks of life, who have worked in a variety of different fields. He says it’s easy to meet people simply by sitting outside on the patios during warmer months or having meals at one of the on-site restaurants.

“There are wonderful people here and what I love is the assortment,” he says. “It is a true community.”

Elliott is among family—literally—at Linden Ponds. His cousin recently moved to the community from Georgia. And, as a result of Elliott’s positive reviews, his former neighbors from the Cape have joined Linden Ponds’ priority list.

Like many of his fellow residents, Elliott also has an active life outside of Linden Ponds. He spent some time visiting old friends and neighbors on the Cape last summer. He spends part of the winter in Naples, Fla., and is hoping to do even more traveling in the coming years.

“I was surprised by how many people [who live here] have second homes on the Cape or are snowbirds who go to Florida for the winter,” he says.